BRIEFS:A Trojans party is coming

The Trojan Club of Orange County will host its second annual rally and dinner called “Beat the Bruins” Wednesday at the Doubletree Hotel in Santa Ana for the Saturday’s football game between the University of Southern California and the University of California Los Angeles.

There will be a cocktail reception, silent auction and raffle beginning at 6:15 p.m. with the rally and dinner at 7:15 p.m. There will be an appearance by the “Spirit of Troy” Marching Band and USC Song Girls.

The cost is $42. For more information call (714) 921-1101 or e-mail at [email protected].

LOCALS EARN HONORS

Three Estancia High and two Costa Mesa girls volleyball players were named first-team All-Orange Coast League. Three Eagles and one of the Mustangs were named second-team.

Senior middle blocker Jaye Hellmich, senior setter Stacie Watson and sophomore outside hitter Annie Tomasek were all named to the first-team for Estancia. Seniors middleblocker Danielle Morton and libero Caitlyn Duffy were named first-team for Costa Mesa.

Junior middle blocker Olivia Schow, junior outside hitter Sarah Braunsdorf and freshman libero Amanda Watson were named second-team for the Eagles. Senior outside hitter Alaina Abalos was named second-team for the Mustangs.

UCI VOLLEYBALL SIGNS FOUR

The UC Irvine women’s volleyball program has signed four players to national letters of intent, as announced by Coach Charlie Brande.

Outside hitters Larissa Nordyke, Kari Pestolesi and middle blockers Riley Cropper and Alex Hauser will join the Anteater program next year.

Nordyke, a 5-foot-10 standout at Punahou High in Hawaii, is a first-team all-state and All-Interscholastic League honoree.

“Larissa is a very, very talented player and comes from very successful club and high school programs,” Brande said. “She brings great knowledge of the game and will make an immediate impact.”

Pestolesi, a 5-11 outside hitter from Edison High, was named the team’s Best Offensive Player last season. She is a three-time All-Sunset League honoree and was selected to the All-CIF first team in 2004 and 2005. Pestolesi was also the team’s Best Defensive Player as a sophomore.

Cropper, a four-year scholar-athlete, helped Los Alamitos High to the CIF Southern Section and state championships last year. The 6-1 middle blocker was a member of the team that captured four Sunset League championships.

She also collected a gold medal at the Junior Olympics as a member of the 16-and-under national team.

“Riley is a very experienced player, who will give us some needed depth at the middle blocker position,” Brande said.

Hauser, a 6-2 standout from Ayala High, was a first-team All-Sierra League selection as a junior. She was named to the all-tournament teams at the Royal Tournament and the Ayala Bulldog Classic and also received the Disney Sportsmanship Award at the 2006 L.A. Watts Games.